Lessons from The Desire of Ages

[joeb]

...it was a Tuesday, possibly Wednesday, but I think it was Tuesday!

I too was once again reading DA recently and was studying in particular Jesus' return to cleanse the temple a second time. His last week on this earth as a man. He returned after "Palm Sunday". He kicked out the merchants, reasoned with the learned men, healed all manner of people, was praised by the children and met the Greeks "who would see Jesus", among other things. As I considered the "time line" of these various events at the temple, it dawned on me, it was likely Tuesday when the widow made her offering of two mites!

This was near the Passover time. Lots of people were around the temple. An excellent time for someone to make a large offering in order to be noticed by the throng, as some were doing.

I have always been especially fond of that widow. Jesus blessing her offering to those who were about to kill Him. Her offering would not go to fund "lawyers" or fund projects to promote those in power, oh no, not HER offering! God would especially watch over it, He would bless it. I know he does the same today for MY offerings when I give with a glad heart. I don't know what happens to YOUR tithes and offerings, but I am confident MY tithe and offerings really do support the good work of His Church! His blessing of the widow shows His love for the Children of the Covenant, the organized Church of His time. The chosen people, His people. In spite of their dreadful apostasy, in the last few days of His earthly life these are the people He wanted to be around, to associate with, to bless and support, to love and to offer one more chance to know Him.

He is STILL blessing that widows offering TODAY!

I have been coming to the same realization you did about how busy Christ was from the time He started His last trip to Jerusalem. He was very, very active and did a tremendous amount of teaching in public places. He was driving the religious establishment of His time crazy.

As to your paragraph on offerings, I agree completely. Any offering given from a willing, converted heart will be blessed by God and go to fund His work. God is in control no matter how things appear on the surface.

[joeb]

More lessons from The Desire of Ages.

If you despair of ever becoming like Christ this quote is for you. It's a long quote, but full of assurances, and reassurances, of God's love for us and the incredible resources He has made available to everyone one of us.

Quote:

The scenes of the past and the future were presented to the mind of Jesus. He beheld Lucifer as he was first cast out from the heavenly places. He looked forward to the scenes of His own agony, when before all the worlds the character of the deceiver should be unveiled. He heard the cry, “It is finished” (John 19:30), announcing that the redemption of the lost race was forever made certain, that heaven was made eternally secure against the accusations, the deceptions, the pretensions, that Satan would instigate.

Beyond the cross of Calvary, with its agony and shame, Jesus looked forward to the great final day, when the prince of the power of the air will meet his destruction in the earth so long marred by his rebellion. Jesus beheld the work of evil forever ended, and the peace of God filling heaven and earth.

Henceforward Christ’s followers were to look upon Satan as a conquered foe. Upon the cross, Jesus was to gain the victory for them; that victory He desired them to accept as their own. “Behold,” He said, “I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

The omnipotent power of the Holy Spirit is the defense of every contrite soul. Not one that in penitence and faith has claimed His protection will Christ permit to pass under the enemy’s power. The Saviour is by the side of His tempted and tried ones. With Him there can be no such thing as failure, loss, impossibility, or defeat; we can do all things through Him who strengthens us. When temptations and trials come, do not wait to adjust all the difficulties, but look to Jesus, your helper.

There are Christians who think and speak altogether too much about the power of Satan. They think of their adversary, they pray about him, they talk about him, and he looms up greater and greater in their imagination. It is true that Satan is a powerful being; but, thank God, we have a mighty Saviour, who cast out the evil one from heaven. Satan is pleased when we magnify his power. Why not talk of Jesus? Why not magnify His power and His love?

The rainbow of promise encircling the throne on high is an everlasting testimony that “God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. It testifies to the universe that God will never forsake His people in their struggle with evil. It is an assurance to us of strength and protection as long as the throne itself shall endure.

Jesus added, “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.” Rejoice not in the possession of power, lest you lose sight of your dependence upon God. Be careful lest self-sufficiency come in, and you work in your own strength, rather than in the spirit and strength of your Master. Self is ever ready to take the credit if any measure of success attends the work. Self is flattered and exalted, and the impression is not made upon other minds that God is all and in all. The apostle Paul says, “When I am weak, then am I strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:10. When we have a realization of our weakness, we learn to depend upon a power not inherent. Nothing can take so strong a hold on the heart as the abiding

sense of our responsibility to God. Nothing reaches so fully down to the deepest motives of conduct as a sense of the pardoning love of Christ. We are to come in touch with God, then we shall be imbued with His Holy Spirit, that enables us to come in touch with our fellow men. Then rejoice that through Christ you have become connected with God, members of the heavenly family. While you look higher than yourself, you will have a continual sense of the weakness of humanity. The

less you cherish self, the more distinct and full will be your comprehension of the excellence of your Saviour. The more closely you connect yourself with the source of light and power, the greater light will be shed upon you, and the greater power will be yours to work for God. Rejoice that you

are one with God, one with Christ, and with the whole family of heaven. DofA p.490-493

[joeb]

Here are a couple of short, but incredibly important, quotes from The Desire of Ages.

Quote:

In every age there is given to men their day of light and privilege, a probationary time in which they may become reconciled to God. But there is a limit to this grace. Mercy may plead for years and be slighted and rejected; but there comes a time when mercy makes her last plea. The heart becomes so hardened that it ceases to respond to the Spirit of God. Then the sweet, winning voice entreats the sinner no longer, and reproofs and warnings cease. DofA p. 587

Quote:

In this generation there are many who are treading on the same ground as were the unbelieving Jews. They have witnessed the manifestation of the power of God; the Holy Spirit has spoken to their hearts; but they cling to their unbelief and resistance. God sends them warnings and reproof, but they are not willing to confess their errors, and they reject His message and His messenger. The very means He uses for their recovery becomes to them a stone of stumbling.

The prophets of God were hated by apostate Israel because through them their hidden sins were brought to light. Ahab regarded Elijah as his enemy because the prophet was faithful to rebuke the king’s secret iniquities. So today the servant of Christ, the reprover of sin, meets with scorn and rebuffs. Bible truth, the religion of Christ, struggles against a strong current of moral impurity. Prejudice is even stronger in the hearts of men now than in Christ’s day. Christ did not fulfill men’s expectations; His life was a rebuke to their sins, and they rejected Him. So now the truth of God’s word does not harmonize with men’s practices and their natural inclination, and thousands reject its

light. Men prompted by Satan cast doubt upon God’s word, and choose to exercise their independent judgment. They choose darkness rather than light, but they do it at the peril of their souls. Those who caviled at the words of Christ, found ever-increased cause for cavil, until they turned from the Truth and the Life. So it is now. God does not propose to remove every objection which the carnal heart may bring against His truth. To those who refuse the precious rays of light which would illuminate the darkness, the mysteries of God’s word remain such forever. From them the truth is hidden. They walk blindly, and know not the ruin before them. DofA p. 587